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In the early days of the present century the small state of Serbia began to campaign for independence from the fellowmen who were occupying parts of the Austro Hungarian Empire,but the Austrian government would not grant it.

In the early days of the present century the small state of Serbia began to campaign for independence from the fellowmen who were occupying parts of the Austro Hungarian Empire,but the Austrian government would not grant it.

At the end of June 1914, a Serbian student,Gabriel Prinz, shot dead the Archduke Franz Ferdinand, here to Austrian Empire.The Austrian blamed the Serbian government and without further ado declare the war.This brought the Russians in on the side of Serbia,which in turn made the Germans declare war on Russia.

France meanwhile, had a treaty of alliance with Russia and so felt oblige to join in against Germany. The Germans in order to attack France directly, attack Belgium, despite the fact that the emperor known as the Kaiser, had promised not to harm the small state.

The Germans were anxious to try out the new invasion plan, which would, if successful, result in the capture of most of Belgium,part of France,and the city of Paris all in a matter of weeks. The British who had promised to protect Belgium, declared war on Germany on 4th August, and by their first victory over the Germans at the Battle of Marne a few weeks later, they prevented the Germans plan from being carried out.